The Return to Hope Valley
by scottiedog
Summary: While Elizabeth's granddaughter explores her heritage, Elizabeth goes down memory lane of her time with Jack.
1. Returning to Hope Valley

_Author's Note: This was in response to the end of Season 5 finale. I feel for all the baby boomers who never knew their fathers because he had died fighting for country while their mother grieved for a man they knew just a few years and married only months. (WWII) These circumstances also happened during WWI as well and continue today._

Disclaimer: When Calls the Heart belongs to the original author Janette Oke and the tv show belongs to Michael Landon Jr, Hallmark, etc.

 **Chapter One**

The year is 1948, World War II had just ended not three years before but for Elizabeth Marie Thornton nee Thatcher, memories are coming on fast as the car moved down the one-line road toward Hope Valley her former home. Her son was sitting in the driver's seat while her grandkids and daughter-in-law are sitting in the back. Elizabeth watched the beautiful countryside went by as she imagined the small town that drew her to teach all those years ago. Her memories were the only ones that have kept her going all these years.

As they came closer to Hope Valley, Thomas Jackson Thornton kept looking at his mother. He couldn't imagine losing a spouse so young. His relationship with Rachel was precious and he couldn't fathom losing her or their kids. Thomas had stories about his father, who was stubborn, loving, caring, and a hero. He loved hearing his mother's stories of his father. With his daughter, Sarah doing a paper about her family, she wanted to include an ancestral tree and had asked her grandmother about Grandpa Jack and that began the start this trip to Hope Valley.

When their 1948 four door Chevy Fleetmaster rounded the corner of main street and into Hope Valley, Elizabeth saw her best friend standing out at the gazebo, that had once been the stagecoach stop for the town not 30 years before. Abigail Stanton had been her best friend until she had to move when Thomas was fifteen and going to college to get his degree in police investigation. Even though she was terrified that her son would wind up just like her precious Jack, she had to trust the Heavenly Father to keep him safe.

Thomas parked the car and looked at his mother while touching her hand, "Mother you ready?"

Elizabeth looked at her son, who looked so much as his father, became choked up at his question and just nodded her head.

Thomas exited the vehicle, walked around and opened the door for his mother while his son Peter helped his wife and daughter out of the car.

Abigail, now in her seventies, gingerly came down from the gazebo and hugged her lifelong friend. "Elizabeth, it is so good to see you."

Elizabeth gave Abigail a hug. She treasured every hug that Abigail had given her over the years. "I missed you too Abigail." Elizabeth closed her eyes to keep the tears at bay.

Time has certainly been good to Abigail. Even though Elizabeth couldn't travel, she always had visit from Abigail around Easter to celebrate her Anniversary to Jack.

Abigail let go of Elizabeth as she looked at her 'adoptive' niece and nephew. They had both grown in the last year. James had a mixture of his parents' but she could see the determination of his grandfather in countenance. Sarah on the hand looked almost exactly like her grandmother except for the auburn hair surrounding her shapely face. C.J. was going to be smitten when he sees Sarah, who had just turned sixteen, not three weeks ago.

"Why don't you all come into the café? C.J. is with Cody working the perimeter around the town. After the railroad came through, we have been having more difficulties than usual with the drunken disorderlies." Abigail led them into the sitting room and into her kitchen and parlor.

Sarah looked around in awe. Her grandmother had described the dining area, kitchen, and parlor with magnificent clarity. She could picture her grandfather Jack and grandmother Elizabeth sitting at one of these tables conversing on their day. The stories these walls could talk.

Elizabeth watched her granddaughter take in her surroundings. Sarah had an imagination that resembled her own. Jack would've said that she didn't have any imagination with his cheeky grin in place. Elizabeth had always shown to Jack that she could hold her own even being a damsel in distress. She still remembered the Pinkerton that worked for Henry Gown that almost shot her because of getting to the truth. Elizabeth was lost in her memories that she didn't hear Thomas talking to her or Abigail calling her name.

"Mom" "Elizabeth" Thomas and Abigail exclaimed at the same time.

Elizabeth shook her head to clear it and smiled at both her son and Abigail to let them know that she was fine just wool gathering.

Abigail watched James take in the kitchen and the parlor. James reminded Abigail when Cody came to live with her all those years ago. Becky had a life her own now, married with two kids and one on the way. She had married a local farmer who knew of her limitations, treated her like a princess, and cared for the kids' gentleness and grace.

Jacklyn Coulter came barreling through the back door when she noticed that her 'Aunt' had company and stopped in her tracks and waited. Lee and Rosemary were still had their small office in town. They had built a bigger house just behind the office that included their two lovable precocious children. Both Coulter boys were named after two heroes that served their country well. Their daughter however was a handful, poor Rosemary hoped she would be to get a little lady but had wound up with tomboy instead. Jacklyn was beginning to live to her namesake. Stubborn, loyal, caring, and loving to everyone she met and today was no exception.

"Jacklyn what brings you by?" Abigail asked as she put the tea kettle back on the warmer.

"Momma wants to invite Miss Elizabeth for supper."

Abigail and Elizabeth chuckled. Rosemary was still the same whirlwind as she had always been but having boys had mellowed her somewhat however not by much.

Elizabeth answered Jacklyn question, "Please let her momma know that we will be at your place in about 20 minutes."

Jacklyn nodded her head and headed back out the door.

Elizabeth had to stare at the door with astonishment. Jacklyn didn't look like Lee or Rosemary she looked like…She turned to Abigail for confirmation, who nodded her head yes.

"Apparently Lee's family is related to the Thornton's from way down the line. Jacklyn is almost the spitting image of Jack when was younger according to Charlotte." Abigail glanced at Thomas and noticed his jaw almost hitting the floor. She walked up and closed his jaw.

Thomas glanced at Abigail, "It was like looking in the mirror"

Abigail nodded. She felt for Thomas and Jacklyn, they had much to talk about while Sarah researched and wrote about Jack Thomas Thornton.


	2. The Coulters and a crisis

**Chapter Two**

The Stanton's walked with the Thornton's, who had arrived thirty minutes before, to the Coulters for supper. Elizabeth had not seen Rosemary since she had sent a photograph of her holding their youngest Jacklyn not three months after the child's birth.

Once arriving at the front of the Coulters, Elizabeth looked toward the hill to the house that Lee had built in a memory of Jack. She enjoyed sixteen years that she had in that house, Elizabeth wondered who used it after Thomas and she had vacated so many years ago.

Phyllis watched her mother-in-law stop and look in the distance. She had heard stories from Thomas about the two-story house that his father had planned out but never got started because of giving his life serving his country. Wonder if she would be able to see the house that her father-in-law drew out for his bride not thirty-four years before.

As if she was reading her mother's thought Sarah asked, "Momma, do you think we will be able to see grandpa's house?"

"I don't know baby, but I bet grandma wants to go. Let's wait till after supper then will ask her, is that okay?"

Sarah nodded her head. She really wanted to go see the house and the memories that it held.

As Rosemary watched the Thornton's walk through her door, she was surprised how Elizabeth had changed. It wasn't a bad change, just difference of maturity lined her friends face. Rosemary had admired Elizabeth and her courage in every adversity that life thrown her way. She didn't know what she would've done if it had been Lee who died in that landslide all those years ago. Rosemary didn't know if she would go on without the love of her life, and here was Elizabeth with her head held high and a strength that she had shown through each and everything that life had given her. Ruefully, Rosemary mused that Elizabeth had to because she was pregnant with Jack's baby and had to provide for not only herself but Thomas as well. Right now, though, she was just happy to have her friend in her home.

Lee came forward to the front door and gave Elizabeth a hug, then shook Thomas' hand just like he had done with Jack Thornton thirty-seven years before. Lee took in the stance, features, and personality of his best friend's son and was stunned at how Thomas looked just like Jack, even though Thomas had Elizabeth's eyes, he could tell that the man in front of him was Jack Thornton's son.

"Austin should be here in a while. He applied for the sheriff's job six month and was voted into the position three months ago." He put on a small sad smile, "Bill Avery taught Austin the ropes before he past away two months ago."

Elizabeth gasped, she was so looking forward to getting a hug from Bill, who helped, along with Abigail, through her grief of Jack. Now he was gone, and she wouldn't be able to get that bear hug she longed for these many years.

Hearing Elizabeth gasp, Rosemary began to reassure her, "Bill met an amazing young lady who put up with his stoic personality and let into him when he was being non to gentle with the hooligans in town." Looking over at Lee for confirmation, "Nancy's in town, isn't she?"

"No ma she is right here."

Rosemary turned her son's voice and found Austin carrying Nancy who looked like she needed a hot bath, "What on earth?"

"I found her laying on top of Bill's grave. Ma, she just found out she is pregnant with Uncle Bill's child. She passed out from yelling and kicking the ground where Uncle Bill is buried. She doesn't want to raise their child alone."

Elizabeth immediately went into action, "Rosemary, send me a plate of food, as well as one for Nancy even though she may not want to eat, she will have to with the little one on the way." Turning to Austin she asked, "Where is your room?"

"Second door on the left, why?"

"You are the one who rescued her and she is going to want to smell something familiar and your it. Let's get Nancy upstairs and out of those wet clothes and when she is ready to talk and yell, I'll be there to reassure her that everything will be fine."

Austin climbed the stairs to his room as Elizabeth picked up her skirts and followed her 'nephew' to his room where he deposited Nancy gently on the bed and walked out of the room to let his Aunt to her magic.

"Daddy is Miss Nancy going to be okay?" Sarah's sixteen-year-old heart was hurting for not only Nancy Avery but her Grandmother as well.

"Yes, sweet pea. Grandma will take good care of her, just remember darlin' that she has been through what Miss Nancy is going through."

"Because of what happened to Grandpa."

"Yes, sweet pea" Thomas hugged his daughter to his side. Sarah has a heart that so precious that he was afraid it would break before his very eyes, but he kept reminding himself that his precious daughter had the stubborn and will power from Phyllis and himself but also from the Thatcher and Thornton's. Right now, though Sarah was showing what his mother was probably like when she first came to Hope Valley almost forty years ago.


End file.
